Submarine mine, depth charge, and other explosive bodies for submarine use



Nov. 11-, 1924; l1,514,741 Y R. A. sr|.. IRGEo|\1A SUBMARINE MINE, DEPTH CHARGE, AND OTHER EXPLOSIVE' BODIES FOR SUBMARINE USE I Fnd Aug. 51. 19,21

1&1 m IWI Patented Nov. l1, i924.

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ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON, OF PORTSTJLOTH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMTNSTER, ENGLAND.

SUBIVIARINE MINE, DEPTH CHARGE, AND OTHERl EXPLOSIVE BODIES FOR SUBMARINE USE.

Serial No. 497,292.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS 0F THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGnoN, a subject oi the King of Great Britain, residing at H. M. S. Vernon, lortsmouth, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Submarine Mines, Depth Charges, and Other Explosive Bodies for Submarine Use (for which I have made application in Great Britain January 30, 1917), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of body charged with explosive to which the term depth charge has been applied, and the function of which hitherto has been to iire automatically on reaching a predetermined depth.

Heretofore this class of body has generally been designed to fire at a predetermined depth governed by a hydrostatically operated firing mechanism in which the water pressure at a given depth on a given area overcomes the resistance of a spring.

The object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic iring mechanism in which firing takes place after a time interval dependent on the rate of filling, and not dependent on the external pressure of water.

According to this invention automatic liring of a depth charge is governed by a timing device, dependent on the rate at which water can enter through an adjustable inlet to a chamber, the arrangement 'being such that the time taken to fill the chamber to the required extent by the continuous admission of water through the inlet, due to the immersion of the body in water, is equal or substantially equal to the time the body will take to sink freely to the specified depth. When suilicient water has entered the chamber the pressure produced therein operates the firing mechanism, this internal pressure being independent oit' the external pressure of the water. By this means should a depth charge be dropped into a depth of water less than the selected firing depth, it will remain on the bottom for a certain period, and will then be fired automatically, on the aforesaid chamber lling to the required extent.

According to one construction the tiring mechanism operated is the hydrostat of any pressure operated iiring gear suitable for this class of weapon, the hydrostat being arranged in a chamber into which water can enter at any desired rate by means of one or more inlet holes, the rate of admission of water being governed so that the time taken for the chamber to ill to the required extent if continually sinking is practically the same as that for the body to sink freely to the speciiied depth. If before reaching this specified depth the 'body should be brought to rest in any way, the chamber will go on filling, and when the required amount has been admitted, this will automatically operate the iiring mechanism.

Obviously the external water pressure must be at least as great as that required t-o lire the pressure operated firing gear provided.

The diaphragm or other moving member of the hydrostat employed for the purpose of firing the pressure operated tiring gear is substantially for the purpose of providing a water tight connection between the parts and any required movement to lire the detonator, such as forexample, the compression or' a spring or air, or to bring electric contacts into engagement.

A constructional form of device for enabling the invention to be carried out in practice is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a sectional elevation showing in full line the mechanism for allowing the water to enter and governing the rate of admission thereof, while the chamber into which the water passes is shown in dotted line, this chamber being adapted to be connected to the water side of the hydrostatically operated device. Figure 2 is an .end elevation at the right hand side of Figure l. Figure 3 is an end elevation ofthe cover plate of the device. Figure 4f is an end elevation of the inner face of the said cover plate, and Figures 5 and 6 are elevation at right angles of details of Figure l.

he mine, depth charge or the like is provided with a chamber l in or adjacent to which a diaphragm or movable member of a hydrostat is mounted so as to be displaceable under pressure of water admitted t0 ................1,5ie,7a1

vChamber The outer end ol' the spindle is provided with a 'feather or key 12 on which is slidably mounted a disk or washer 13 between which and the valve plate a. spring,` 14 is mounted on the spindle. The washer is preferably provided with ribs 15 for the purpose hereinafter described.

The valve body 2 between the normal positions on the valve plate and the washer is providedl with apertures 16 covered with gauze 17 to prevent entrance of solid matter which may be floating in the surrounding water.

The valve body 2 is provided with a cover plate 18 formed with a circular opening` out of which t-wo sets of radial slots 19,` 2O are cut, and the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The outer end of the spindle 4L is provided with a removable key Q1 the inner end of which is provided with one or more y studs 22 arranged to be on the inner side of the cover plate 18, the key being provided with a pointer or indicator 23 arranged to be on the outside oi the cover plate.

The slots 19 are for the purpose of inserting or withdrawintqthe key 21 with respect to the spindle 4, when any of the holes in the valve plate 9 isA over the hole 11 in the valve body, while the slots 20 are for the purpose either of receiving the ribs 15 of now required or for desired to place the liring gear at sa'le the key is inserted onA the spindle 4L and the operations above described performed, it being,` observed that with the construction above described la safe position is always passed through between two adjacent tiring positions.

As the key can only be removed when the device has become set for firing, the delivery up or' the key is proof that the charge has been launched in a ready condition.

Instead oi a perforated valve plate of the kind above described, a construction may be employed in which the valve has a member with a port co-operating` with another member having a succession oit holes of the saine or different sizes the two members being relatively adjusted to allow the desired nrunber of holes to be in register with the port. Each setting thus has one or more holes exposed instead of single holes oi different sizes as above described.

That l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is 1. A depth charge comprising a chamber which acts as an air lock and which is formed with a water inlet opening` pressure operated firing mechanism within said @bambergy and means for varying; the rate at which water is allowed to enter said chamber so that the time taken to admit sufficient Water to the chamber to build up therein suthcient pressure to operate the firing mechanism .is equal to or substantially equal to the time taken by the depth charge to sink freely to a specified depth, said operating pressure inside the chamber being independent of the hydrostatic pressure prevailing outside the depth charge.

2. A depth charge comprising a chamber acting as an air lock and formed with a Water inlet opening as claimed in claim l and rotatable means for varying the crosssectional area of said opening so as to govern at Will the rate of entry of Water to said chambery so as to vary the time taken to build up Within the chamber the internal pressure necessary to operate the firing mechanism.

3. A depth charge, comprising a chamber formed with a Water inlet opening, pressure actuated firing mechanism Within said chamber and a rotatable obturator, controlling the cross-sectional area of said opening, said obturator being formed with a plurality of openings any one of Which can be brought into register With the opening in said chamber so as to admit Water at a predetermined rate to said chamber.

4L. A depth charge, comprising a chamber formed With a Water inlet opening, pressure actuated firing mechanism Within said chamber, a rotatable plate formed With a plurality of apertures of dierent crosssectional area and means for bringing any one of said apertures into register with the opening in said chamber for the purpose specied.

5. A depth charge comprising a chamber acting as an air lock and formed With a Water inlet opening as claimed in claim l, pressure actuated iring mechanism Within said chamber, a rotatable plate formed With a plurality of apertures of different crosssectional area and a detachable key for engaging With and rotating said plate so as to bring any one of said apertures into regis ter with the opening in said chamber for the purpose specilied.

6. A depth charge comprising a chamber formed with a Water inlet opening, pressure actuated ring mechanism located Within said chamber, a rotatable plate formed with apertures ot' different cross-sectional areas any one of Which can be brought into register with the opening in said chamber and a safety device which prevents movement of saidipressure actuated tiring mechanism until one or other of the apertures in said plate are in register With the opening leading to said chamber.

7. A depth charge or like device comprising a chamber formed With a Water inlet opening, pressure actuated firing mechanism located Within said chamber, a rotatable Water admission valve which fuliills the dual purpose of regulating the depths or times at which the charge will be fired automatically and a safety valve to prevent accidental firing.

8. A depth charge comprising a chamber, pressure operated firing mechanism located Within said chamber, valve means for admitting Water to said chamber in such manner that actuation of the firing mechanism takes place after a time interval which depends on the rate of iilling of said chamber and not upon thel external pressure of tle water outside said chamber, a detachable handle for setting said valve means, and a safety device Jfor preventing the removal ot said handle unless the valve means have been set in correct operative position.

9. A depth charge as claimed in claim 1 comprising a chamber acting as an air lock, pressure operated liring mechanism located within said chamber, and a rotatable valve controlling anA opening in said chamber in such manner that the time taken to lill the chamber to the required extent through said opening is equal to or substantially equal to the time the body takes to sink freely to the depth for Which firing has been arranged for in advance.

10. A depth charge comprising a chamber acting as an air lock and formed With a Water inlet opening as claimed in claim l, pressure operated firing mechanism located Within said chamber, a rotatable valve, mea-ns 'for varying the rate of admission of Water to said chamber, and a detachable handle for operating said valve.

l1. A depth charge comprising a chamber acting as an air lock and formed With a Water inlet opening as claimed in claim l, pressure operated mechanism located Within said chamber, a rotatable valve, means for varying the rate of admission of Water to said chamber, a detachable handle for operating said valve means, and a Calibrating device over which a pointer on said handle is adapted to move.

l2. A depth charge comprising a chamber formed With a Water inlet opening, pressure actuated firing mechanism within said chamber, a valve body located above said chamber, a valve constituted by a rotatable plate formed With a plurality of apertures of different cross-sectional area, mounted Within said valve body, a spindle on said plate, a detachable key for engaging with said spindle and rotating said plate, said key being formed With radial extensions, a slidable collar upon said spindle, said collar being formed with upstanding flanges which engage recesses in the valve body, radial slots in the valve body through which the extension in said key is adapted to be passed, and a spring normally tending to maintain the flanges on said collar in enpressure operated mechanism unless and un? til one or other of the apertures in said rotambie plate are in correct register with 10 the' opening leading' to said chamber.

14. A depth charge as claimed in claim l), iu which the detachable key is formed with a pointer and in which calibrations are provided upon the upper face-of the 15 valve body for the purpose specified.

ROBERT ALEXANDER STURGEON. 

